Data from Essay Writing Service states that there are around 3.5 million public school teachers in the US, accounting for around 88% of the K–12 teaching workforce. The remaining 12%, working out to around 360,000 teachers, work in private schools, potentially earning more than the average of $65,090 for public school teachers.
Somewhere in the middle are the tutors, coaches, and teachers working self-employed through platforms such as Preply and Brighterly. It’s becoming a growing trend for students to access support outside the classroom environment to improve their learning, with a study from Workee stating that over 40% of students in America have used online tutoring.
All three options, employed through public, private, or self-employment, require a level of professional protection. Read on to find out more.
Are You Freelance or Employed?
There are benefits to both types of employment. If you’re freelance, you have the freedom of working your own hours and managing your income, and you don’t become a “slave to the system,” as it were.
You’re still teaching and educating, but without the pressure to meet targets, manage a full classroom, etc. It’s a one-to-one (rarely more) environment, which means you can deliver a much more personalized and specific teaching experience. The downside is that you’re not protected.
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If you’re employed by a school, college, or training provider, the legal and professional protection will come from the school and teaching union you’re registered with. The two main teaching associations most educators are registered with are the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Insurance, liability, and compliance are managed centrally, although there are exceptions.
Freelance tutors and self-employed coaches work differently. They also carry the risk. If something goes wrong, it’s their responsibility to manage it.
Many people sit in a grey area. Teaching through platforms, running private sessions alongside employed work, and offering coaching on evenings or weekends—in those cases, employer protection rarely extends to independent work.
How Self-Employed Teaching Professionals Can Protect Themselves
Self-employed educators face risks that aren’t always obvious.
Professional liability is one of the most important, and professional liability insurance would cover you if something goes wrong. For example, if a student or parent claims your advice, teaching, or coaching caused loss, stress, or harm, you may be expected to defend yourself. Insurance can cover you for the legal expenses if you’re in a situation of claims of professional negligence.
Or, it can happen that someone accuses you of providing inaccurate information with your services. In either scenario, if it leads to a legal case, professional liability cover is essential. This applies across academic tutoring, life coaching, fitness instruction, and specialist education.
There’s also general liability. Teaching in person means students may visit your home or a rented space. Accidents happen, and without cover, even minor incidents can become expensive.
Then there’s income continuity, something that’s definitely essential. Illness, injury, or an unexpected disruption can instantly stop you from teaching, and your income stops along with it. There’s no sick pay or sick leave.
The Best Platforms to Help You Find Students
Platforms have made it easier to connect with students, so we can see why the trend of teachers leaving mainstream education and going self-employed is happening.
Services like Superprof and Tutorful help tutors find local and online learners. International platforms such as Preply connect educators with global students. Course-based educators can also use Udemy to sell structured content.
These platforms handle marketing and payments, but they don’t usually protect you if a claim is made against your teaching. Contracts are often between you and the student, not you and the platform.
Considering there are so many great platforms, as long as you have the professional protection, teaching online and making a full-time income isn’t impossible. Granted, you might not earn as much as private or public schools pay for full-time teachers, but you offset the lower pay with a better lifestyle and more freedom to work how you want to work.
